The thesis delves into the concept of digital afterlife and its potential impact on the relationship between the deceased and the bereaved. Here the study explores the notion of being digitally immortal to stay in touch with the people left behind. It uses speculative design to envision future technologies that could enable digital resurrection, allowing individuals to interact with virtual representations of their loved ones. A participatory design workshop using speculation as a thought experiment was organized to create artefacts using a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) program. These ideas and digital artefacts were set in the preferred future using the “what if” narrative to discard the aspect of feasibility and help participants visualize contexts and scenarios as well as open critical discussions. The study reveals various forms of digital afterlife, from realistic avatars in VR environments to abstract representations, and the importance of presence and immersion in creating a sense of connection with the deceased. Additionally, it discusses the tension between control and autonomy, as bereaved individuals seek to maintain power over the digital presence of loved ones, while also empathizing with the rights and autonomy of the deceased within the virtual realm. The speculative design approach facilitates critical discussions on the potential societal impact of digital afterlife technologies, highlighting the importance of responsible design and regulation. Finally, in accordance with the posthumanism lens, the complexity observed by the entanglement of the digital and the virtual realm has been demonstrated.

I detta kandidatarbete har vi undersökt kring tekniken projection mapping och projicering och hur dessa skulle kunna användas i framtiden med hjälp av forskningskällor från science fiction, cyberpunk och futurism. I undersökningen kollar vi närmare på hur dessa genre under historien spekulerat kring olika tekniker och dess tankesätt med mestadels inspiration från cyberpunk, där vi satt oss in i det urbana och dess teknik. Vi har sedan, med hjälp av på ett spekulativt designperspektiv som grund och förhållningssätt, fått fram en prototyp av en stad som är baserad i en möjlig framtid där projection mapping har utvecklats och är en väldigt allmän teknik för samhället. Under arbetets gång har vi använt oss utav metoder som mindmap, brainstorming, prototypskapande och spekulativ design för att jobba oss framåt. Dessa metoder har vi arbetat med tidigare och kände att de var mest effektiva för vårt projekt. Vi kom tillslut fram med en gestaltning som visar på en möjlig framtida stad där projection mapping används överallt för att visa reklam och liknande på massa byggnader. Detta har gjort med hjälp av program som Adobe programmen för att skapa det som projicerats och mappningen har gjort i programmet HeavyM, som är ett program enbart gjort för projection mapping. / In this bachelor thesis we have examined technology such as projection mapping and projection, and how these could be used in the future with support from research sources such as science fiction, cyberpunk and futurism. In the thesis, we take a closer look at how these genres throughout history have speculated about different technologies and their ways of thinking, mainly with inspiration from cyberpunk, where we focus on the urban and its technology. We have with the help of a speculative design perspective as a basis and approach, created a prototype of a city based on a possible future where projection mapping has been developed and become a very common technology for society. During the course of the project, we have used methods such as mindmap, brainstorming, prototyping and speculative design to work our way forward. We have worked with these methods before and felt that they were the most effective for our project. We finally came up with a design that shows a possible future city where projection mapping is used everywhere to show advertising and the like on lots of buildings. This has been done using programs such as the Adobe programs to create what is projected and the mapping done in the HeavyM program, which is a program solely for projection mapping.

Retired Objects is a project that explores the intimate relationship we humans form with everyday things. My investigation centers around the questions Can we begin to value objects as our equals, rather than as our servants? and What roles do objects play in our daily lives other than fulfilling a practical function?  As a theoretical framework I investigate different facets of our material culture and how we relate to objects, focusing on our emotional connection to them, how we use them as mirror and tools for self-creation, and how being a maker is an integral part of our human identity. Using speculative design methods, I wish to invite us to reimagine our relationship to objects. The result is a series of pre-owned chairs, that I have re-designed, reimagined to envision them in a new light, free from the burden of fulfilling a practical function. Who are they once they retire from their job of serving us? By using design fiction and presenting an alternative narrative I wish to invite us to reimagine the way we relate to everyday objects.

Human-nature connection is recognized for its importance for our well-being, development of our environmental identity, and potentially leading to pro-environmental behaviour due to the support of an individual’s intrinsic values. However, the fostering of this connection is not supported and being implemented within society at large. This research set out to explore the causes of the weak relation to nature and identify potential design interventions to enable the recuperation of nature as part of our identity.  For this exploration, Speculative Design and Transition Design were chosen. In particular, Design Fiction as a method was adopted, not only it allowed us to speculate the future, but also materialise and explore the human-nature connection in ‘objects’. Transition Design was used due to its flexibility to explore interdisciplinary research and solutions, providing ground for the 'constructed reality’ and enabling the built-up of a roadmap towards this preferable future.  Drivers that caused this problem were identified, and it showed how they are closely intertwined and influenced by, or are a result of, each other. One of these is how control and illusion of control plays a role in our weak human-nature connection. Through qualitative fieldwork, some of the ‘characteristics of nature’ and factors that influence human-nature connection were mapped, and they were embodied into objects situated in a ‘constructed reality’. These material objects have taken the form of home products in a product catalogue (‘diegetic prototype’) as human-nature connection can potentially be fostered at home as well as in nature.  The response showed a potential in how a speculative ‘diegetic prototype’ can influence a person's sense of identity in relation to nature. Proving that the ‘diegetic prototype’ has an actual effect on the sense of identity would be impossible due to the complex nature of identity development as many different factors play a role. This research also provided a list of factors for designers to explore with regards to enhancing our human-nature connection through design. It has also shown the potential role of food and home in establishing human-nature connection, on which further research is needed.

Det mest miljöskadliga livsmedlet är kött, trots kunskapen motiveras inte människor till att minska sin köttkonsumtion. Konsumtion handlar också omkänslor och sociala normer. Människor saknar kunskap för att lyckas implementera förändringar i deras beteende. Begreppet nudge innebär en beslutsmiljö som förändrar människors beteende på ett förutfattat vis utan att neka andra valmöjligheter. Den pågående utvecklingen av robotar kommer leda till att robotar i framtiden har möjligheten att påverka mänskligt beteende. Det behövs forskning inom informatik och digital design om hur robotar kan påverka människors matbeteende genom nudging. Etologiska robotar härstammar från sociala robotar och grundas i etologi och fokuserar på human-robot attachment (HRA) och den anknytning som sker mellan människa-robot istället för bara interaktionen. Etologiska robotar har utvecklats för att komma runt effekten av Uncanny Valley. Robot-robot-human interaction (RRHI) har möjligheten att påverka människor känslor och beteende. Denna studies syfte är att designa etologiska robotar för att genom nudging påverka människors beteende gällande köttkonsumtion i en spekulativ framtid. Studien ger inte ett fullständigt svar på hur köttkonsumtion kan minskas i allmänhet utan är ett bidrag till informatik om hur robotar kan användas för studiens målgrupp. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och innefattar intervjuer och pilotstudie för att arbeta nära målgruppen för att nå de mest lämpade utseendet och beteendet hos robotarna. Resultatet visar att robotar kan passa för att påverka människan i detta syfte då robotar kan ha en konstant närvaro i miljön där köttkonsumtion sker. / The food that is the most environmentally harmful is meat, but this knowledge does not motivate people to reduce their consumption of meat. Consumption is also about feelings and social norms. People lack the knowledge to successfully employ changes in their behavior. The concept of nudge means a decision environment that changes people’s behavior in a predicted way, without banning other options. The current development of robots will lead to robots having the possibility to influence people in the future. There is a lack of research within informatics and digital design about how robots can influence people’s food behavior. Ethological robots have been developed to go around the Uncanny Valley. Robot-robot-human interaction (RRHI) have the potential to influence people’s feelings and behavior. This study aims to design ethological robots that through nudging influence people’s behavior regarding meat consumption within a speculative future. The study does not provide a complete answer on how meat consumption can be reduced but rather a contribution to informatics on how robots can be used for this study’s target group. Through a qualitative approach the study has conducted interviews and a pilot study to work closely with the target group to design the most complete appearance and behavior for the robots. The results show that robots can be suitable to influence people with this purpose because robots can be a constant presence where the consumption of meat happens.

Instagram has around two billion registered users at the time of writing. This puts a lot of responsibility on interaction designers as they implement changes to the user experience. This thesis proposes a speculative approach to evaluate how potential futures might alter interactive features on Instagram and in turn, how that might nurture user habits. The thesis presents a framework and model to construct plausible structures of social media platforms and is in this project used to construct four scenarios through which speculative design work is done. The model could also guide future iterations and speculations.

The voice technology today is limited to explicit interaction and does not take advantage of the connotation of voice modalities. Research has shown that it is possible to sense emotions and feelings as well as the context of information based on the tone of voice. Building on existing theory and Research through Design, this thesis aims to speculate the use of whispering in human-computer interaction. It also discusses how this might lead to a more preferred future or cause tensions within addictive technology and the politics of voice assistants. The results argue that whispering has an impact on the relationship and trust between a human and a machine and that it could be used as an active interaction mode with voice assistants. Further research is needed to identify the effect of whispering on different users and the influence of different voice modalities. / Röstteknologin idag är begränsad till explicit interaktion och utnyttjar inte konnotationen av röstmodaliteter. Forskning har visat att det är möjligt att identifiera känslor och sammanhang med information baserad på tonfallet. Med utgångspunkt i befintlig teori och Research through Design, syftar denna avhandling till att spekulera kring användningen av viskning i interaktion mellan människor och datorer. Det diskuteras hur detta kan leda till en mer gynnsam framtid alternativt orsaka konflikt inom beroendeframkallande teknik och röstassistenternas politik. Resultaten menar att viskning påverkar förhållandet och förtroendet mellan människa och maskin och att den kan användas som ett aktivt interaktionsläge hos röstassistenter. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att identifiera effekten av viskning på olika användare och påverkan av olika röstmodaliteter.

The current communicative planning paradigm appears to lack the ability to include the voices of the voiceless and is stuck in practices that continue to confirm the status-quo through technocratic quick fixes, which do not solve underlying problems causing climate change. This thesis is an exploration of how two unconventional methods, storytelling and co-created speculative design, can contribute to a change in paradigm, specifically improve the inclusiveness of coproduction, where nonhumans are involved in the decision-making processes. This thesis takes the reader on a journey through the embodiment of water in Slussen, by an analysis of semi-structured interviews and a critical discourse, a story from the perspective of water with the title Suorssá, and two alternative designs of Slussen if water were in charge. The applied lense in this thesis is a combination of Latour’s perspective on actants, Bell’s studies of the future, storytelling, critical utopianism, and ecocentrism. The methods and lense are embedded in a case study of water in Slussen, which is a major urban development in Sweden where water plays a considerable role. Through this journey an alternative perspective is attempted to be shared with the participants and an increasing openness towards ecocentrism, where all organisms on the planet have an intrinsic value irrespective of humans, is created. The results suggest that a truly inclusive planning paradigm, especially for megaprojects like Slussen, seems to be a utopian thought. Nonetheless, storytelling and co-created speculative designs turn out to be an effective step towards realizing this vision.

The involvement of end users in the design process is gaining popularity, particularly through human-centred design (HCD). This case study addresses two practical issues: the lack of engagement of Swedish public sector office workers in designing their workspaces and the need to prioritize user needs in new meeting places. The research examines engagement at the leadership/ownership level using participatory speculative design (PSD), which goes beyond HCD. Through participatory action research (PAR), users are empowered to question their needs and lead the design process. The study employs PSD in two workshops to explore its contribution to the process and outcome. It focuses on identifying ownership-level engagement indicators and assessing how PSD influences reflecting user needs in the initial prototype of future meeting spaces. The central research question revolves around identifying indicators of ownership-level engagement in PSD and assessing how the PSD methodology influences the reflection of user needs in the initial prototype of future meeting spaces. Data collection involves secondary data, literature review, and design workshops, analysing workshop design and participant behaviour’s impact on engagement levels and organizations. The study aims to provide practical solutions and bridge knowledge gaps in participant engagement. Findings demonstrate the practical implications of involving end users at the highest level, including fresh insights, broader perspectives, and the democratization of the design process. PSD at the ownership level proves feasible, offering novel insights within the realm of PSD.

In this project, the intersection between animism and smart things is being explored, with a special focus on gaming chairs. Integrated sensors and actuators become an opportunity to create interactivity and autonomous behaviour which creates illusions of life. Gaming chairs are interesting to explore because it’s a piece of furniture that is often and well used, for longer periods at a time, allowing a space to create a personal relationship between the human user and the chair. With the goal to develop design beyond the current norms of interactions and relationships between the user and belongings in their home this project uses Research Through Design, Speculative Design, Animism and Posthumanism. By transferring insights of visual expressions, capabilities of beloved belongings, familiar interactions and behaviours to a non-living entity combined with technology and smart things as a contributor for animistic expression - this project proposes that it is possible to create an illusion of life and for humans to develop a relationship to a non-human entity. The actuators applied on the conceptual gaming chair affected the participants testing it - the participants seemed to care for the chair and perceived it to be an extension of themselves.